Measuring device



1, 1950 H. s. WAKE 2,517,264

MEASURING DEVI CE Filed Aug. 29, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet l 2 5 CS 07221935 W 1, 1950 H. s. WAKE 2,517,264

MEASURING DEVICE Filed Aug. 29, 1946 s Sheets-Sheet 2 Ill lllkllilllllllll III Wf-W

g- 1, 1950 H. s. WAKE 2,517,264

MEASURING DEVICE Filed Aug. 29, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Aug. 1, i950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE i i v 2,517,264

MEASURING DEVICE Henry S. Wake, Lansdowne, Pa. Application August 29, 1946, Serial No. 693,669

' 6 Claims.

This invention relates to measuring. devices for determining distances .01" dimensions and angles, and has tor its principal object the provision of a simple and accurate. instrument which may be usedfbypersons in various fields and which is applicable to a wide variety of uses. For example, the device may be used by engineers, mechanics, surveyors, carpenters, etc. to solve problems which are regularly encountered by such persons or it may be used by anyone whohas a .particular problem in respect to distances and angles.

In accordance with the present invention. there is provided a novel device comprising a member having a pair of linear scale portions fixedly disposed in rightfhand relation to oneanother, a pair of protractcrs associated respectively with said scale portions ,and arranged for sliding movement therealongl and a pair of arms piVotally associated respectively with said" protractors for setting various angles, said arms having extending linear scale portions and being in dividually movable so that they may be brought into associationjwith oneanother or with. the scale portions of s'aidrnember. There are also provided Vernier scales on said protractors and said arms which enable very accurate adjustment thereof. 3

The inventionhas as a furtherobjectthe provision of simple and easily"operable means for selectively fixing the positions of the protractors and their associated arms. In accordance with this object, there is provided a novel common fastening means for eachprotractor and its associated 'arm, such means including selectively actuable elements for selectively fixing the position of the protractor and the associated arm.

A further object "of'theinvention is to provide'means for easily and quickly effecting the Vernier movementsofuthe' :protractors. In ac-' cordance withthis object, there-is provided a novel adjuster in conjunction with each protractor, which is adapted for use regardless ofthe position of the protractor along the. linear scale withwhich itis associated. a

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view show ing oneof the linear scales andits associated vernier scale} a i a a i Fig; 3 is an enlarged fragmentary'view =shdwing one of the protractor scales and the asso ciated Vernier scale;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Fig, 3; i Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along line Referring first to Fig. l, the device comprises a frame member! having a pair of linear scale. portions 2 and 3 which. are fixedly disposed in.

right-angle relation to one another, a pair of protractors 4 andi associated respectively with said scale portions and arranged for sliding movement therealong, and a pair of arms 6 and 1 pivotally associated respectively with the protractors 4 and 5, saidarms having linear scale graduations 8 and 9 and beingmovable individ-' ually so that they may be brought into association with one another or with the scale portions 2 and 3, as hereinafter described. To accommodate the slidable protractors, the frame member I is provided with slots l0: and H extending in right-angle to one another. At their outer ends, these slots are enlarged at l2 and I3, respectively, to enableassembly ofthe parts. The novel arrangement for securing. each protractor and tions.

Having in mind the ,f or'egoingbrief. statement 1 of objects and features, the invention maybe the associated arm. to the frame member I will be described presently. The scale portions 2 and 3 are uniformly divided commencing at their true common point of intersection located at M. Preferably, there are ten main divisions as illus-- trated. The length of the unit ofdivision may be arbitrarily chosen according to the size of the device. It is importantshowever, that the same unit of division be employed on both scale por- 2 and 3 are uniformly subdivided into tenths of the division unit, as shown at H: in Fig.2, and

the subdivisions are further divided into fourths thereof.

scale portions 2 and 3.; H

On the protractors, there he provided Vernier scales designated in Fig. 1] .by reference char-, acters IE to J9, these vernier scales being cooperatively associated with the scale gradual; tions of the scale portions 2 and 3. It will be The divisions of the two scale portions Thus thereare fortyisubdivisions of each main division unit of each of. the linear noted that there are two vernier scales on each protractor located on opposite sides of the pivot point of the associated arm. This is necessary in order that one or the other of the vernier scales will be useful when the protractor is moved to either end of the associated linear scale. As shown in Fig. 2, each of the vernier scales covers a distance equal to twenty-four of the smaller subdivisions of the associated linear scale, and the vernier scale is uniformly divided into twenty-five subdivisions. 1

The edges 20 and 2| of the scales 2 and 3 are aligned with point l4 and coincide with the base lines of the respective protractors. Each protractor has one hundred and eighty subdivisions, as shown in Fig. 3, each subdivision representing an angular distance of one degree. The axes of rotation of the arms 6 and I are located on the base lines of the respective protractors, and the arms have enlarged portions 22 and 23 having windows or openings 24 and 25 and also having vernier scales '26 and 21. As shown in Fig. 3, each of the vernier scales 26.and 21 has a zero reference line and twelve subdivisions on each side thereof. The twelve vernier subdivisions occupy the same space as twenty-three subdivisions of the protractor scale. By means. of the vernier, it is possible to read any angle ac,-. curately to the nearest minute.

As previously mentioned, the extending portions of arms 6 and 1 are provided with linear scale graduations 8 and 9 which have the same main unit of division as do the linear scale portions 2 and 3. As shown at 28 inFig. 3, each' unit of division is subdivided similarly to the subdivision of the scale portions 2 and 3, there being a total of forty subdivisions in each main division unit. The zero point of each arm scale. coincides with the axis of rotation of the arm as indicated at 29 in Fig. 3. The scale edges 39 and 3| of the two arms are aligned respectively with the axes of rotation. The arms 6 and I may be of any convenient or desired length, depending on the size ofthe device, and there may be as many main scale divisions on the arms as the length thereof will permit.

Each protractor and its associated arm is secured to the frame member I by means of themechanism shown in Figs. 4 to 6. Athreaded stud 32 extends through apertures in the associated arm and protractor and through the associated slot of the frame member, and has a head 33 which seats in a recess in the outer surface of the arm. A hollow threaded stud 34 surrounds the stud 32 and extends through the protractor and through the slot in the frame memher The head' 35 of stud 34 iscountersunlrin the protractor. The two studs are cut away at 36 and 31, respectively, (see Fig. 6), and the reduced portions. thereof fit snugly within the slot, preventing thestuds from turning with revspect to the frame member The inner stud 32 extends beyond the outer stud, and nuts '38..

and 39 are provided on the respective studs, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4. The outer stud '34 and its associated nut 39 serve to secure the profixed position. Thus, the protractor may be. fixed in a desired position by tightening nut 39, while the arm is still freely. rotatable, and .when

the arm has been adjusted as fdesiredgit may be. secured in the desired ,positionby tightening nut 38. It-will beapparentthatthe mechanism. just,

described constitutes a common fastening means for the protractor and its associated arm, which means includes selectively actuable elements for securing the protractor and the arm in desired positions.

As further shown in Fig. 4, each protractor has a shoulder 59 which engages the edge of frame I and serves therewith to guide the protractor during sliding movement thereof.

The novel mechanism by which accurate vernier adjustment of each protractor is effected is shown in Figs. 7 and 8. A threaded rod 40 has an L-shaped end 4| which is pivotally secured to the protractor. A retainer 42 (see Fig. 8) has a screw clamp 43 adapted to engage the edge portion of frame member and also has a portion 44 formed to retain a nut 45 on rod 49 and to accommodate the said rod, as shown in Fig. 7.

The slots or recesses 46 (Fig. 8) are adapted to accommodate the rod 40-while the slot or recess 41 is adapted to accommodate the nut 45. With the retainer 42 secured to frame I by means of screw clamp 43, and with the nut 39 loosened, the protractor may be accurately adjusted by turning nut 45 and observing one of the vernier scales on the protractor with respect to the associated linear scale of frame I. The turning of nut 45 moves the rod 40 and thus moves the protractor very slowly, the rod 40 being free to move within the recesses 46 of the retainer 42.

The retainer 42 may be placed on either side.

of the protractor and the arm 40 may be brought intocooperative relation therewith,.as indicated by the dot-and-dash representation 48- in Fig. 1.. It will be recalled that the rod 40 is pivotally connected to the protractor sothat it is movable aboutits pivot point. Thus the vernier actuat ing mechanism may be employed even when the protractor is at either end of the associated linear scale. By means of the scale and vernier arrangement shown in Fig. 2 and the vernier, adjusting mechanism, it is possible to adjust.

each protractor with an accuracy of onethousandths of the main division unit of scales vice may be put. In these illustrationsthe mov- 1 able arms of the device are represented by single lines for simplicity and for clarity of illustration.

Referringfirst to Figs. 9 and 10, suppose that it is desired to determine the length of a chord 49 which may be considered asone side of an 1 equilateral triangle inscribed within a circle 50 whose-radius 5| is known. It will be apparent that the chord '49 forms the base of an isosceles triangle whose base angles areequal to 30.

angle .of 30 with respect tothe scale 3. The arm .1 is likewise positioned at an angle. of 30 with respect to the scalev 3, and the protractor 5 is moved along scale 3 until the intersecting point of arms 6 and 1 corresponds to the radius 5| of the I The protractor 5 is then fixed in ".POSitiOIJ and he length of chord 49xis read on'the given circle.

Fig. '10 illustrates the solution of this problem. The

protractor 4 is moved to the lowermost point and is swung through and secured in position. Re-T ferring back to'Fig. 1, the inner end of slotv l0 is so extended that the protractor 4may be 'positioned as shown. in Fig.j10, and when it'is thus positioned the axis. of rotation of arm 6 coincides with point I4. The arm 6 is then positioned at an a amazes various angles, said arms having Vernier scalesthereon cooperating with the protractor scales, said arms extending from the protractors and having linear scale graduations thereon, and be-- ing individually movable so that they may be brought into association with one another or with the scale portions of said member, the aforementioned extension of one slot enabling the positioning of the associated protractor so that the axis of rotation of its arm coincides with the point of intersection of said scale portions, and means associated with each protractor for efiecting vernier movements thereof.

4. A device according to claim 3, wherein said last-recited means includes a threaded rod pivotally secured to the protractor, a nut engaging said rod, and a retainer for the nut adjustably secured to the associated portion of said member.

5. A-device of the class described, comprising.

a member having a pair of linear scale portions fixedly disposed in right angle-relation to one another, and having a pair of slots similarly disposed, a pair of protractors associated respectively with said scale portions and including attachment means slidable in the respective slots, said protractors having Vernier scales thereon cooperating with said scale portions, an arm piv otally'associated with each protractor for setting various angles, said arms having Vernier,

8-. scales thereon cooperating with the-r protractor scales, saidarms extendingirom the protractors" and having linear graduations thereon, and being individually movable so that, they may be brought into association with one another or with thescale portions of said membena threaded rod pivotallyv secured to each protractor, a

nut engaging each= rod, and a retainer for each nut, removably and adjustably secured to saiclmember adjacent the associated protractor, ro-- tationfof each nut effecting .vernier movements of the associated protractor.from1 either side thereof depending uponthe dispos ition of the retainerrand the threaded rod. i 5 v 6. A'de'viceaccording to claim 5, wherein each protnactor has a pair of vernier scales vdisposed respectivelyon each side of, the pivot point of the associated arm. r I

.HENRY v SILWAKE. REFERENCES-CITED The following references 'are of record in thgj me p of. this p t UNITED STATES ATEfiTS Number. 

